Your First Day at Work

Good day, my name is Alex Weber. I am starting today as the new colleague in marketing.

Polite and professional; ideal when introducing yourself to management, clients, or in a formal office.

Hello everyone! I'm Alex and I'm supporting the development team here starting today.

Casual and warm; best for introducing yourself to close peers in an open-plan office or standup.

Do we actually all use the informal 'du' here in the team, or do we stick with the formal 'Sie'?

Essential question on day one in German offices to clarify the corporate culture and avoid awkwardness.

Could you briefly show me which desk I can set myself up at today?

Uses polite Konjunktiv II ('könntest'); practical for desk assignment or hot-desking setups.

Who can I actually turn to if I have technical questions about the software programs?

Standard phrase to ask who your mentor or point of contact is for daily tasks.

Who should I best hit up if my login to the internal network isn't working yet?

Colloquial ('anhauen' means to tap someone or hit them up); use only with relaxed peers.

Excuse me, where can I find the coffee machine and the big team fridge around here?

A friendly and essential question for navigating the office kitchen on your first morning.

What does the schedule look like today, are there already specific meetings for the afternoon?

Helpful for planning your first day and knowing what orientation steps are coming.

Could you please briefly tell me when we will do the joint orientation in the office today?

Formal inquiry suitable when checking in with a department manager or HR supervisor.

Could we briefly go through that together so that I'm sure all the steps are right?

Proactive and professional way to double-check initial instructions without sounding uncertain.

Are you guys going to the cafeteria together today or just quickly grabbing something next door?

Casual invitation to connect with colleagues over lunch without putting anyone on the spot.

Was the train really full for you this morning too, or do you always ride your bike?

Classic low-stakes small talk topic in German companies to break the ice with desk neighbours.

Do we actually have a shared coffee fund here, or does everyone bring their own milk from home?

Helpful question to quickly learn the informal kitchen etiquette and coffee contributions.

I'm calling it a day for now. Should I prepare anything specific for tomorrow before I go?

Courteous end-of-day sign-off checking in with your team before leaving.

I would take my leave for today. Thank you very much for the kind and patient support today!

Polite parting statement expressing gratitude to your onboarding buddy or supervisor.